A cooking vessel such as a metal formed pot, skillet, kettle or frying pan is typically provided with a thermally insulative handle for ease of handling and safety of use. Although the typical handle is permanently attached to the vessel, there are many reasons for having the handle detachable at certain times and for specific functions.
Even though the conventional handle does not conduct heat as well as does the metal body of the vessel, it can nonetheless, depending on the length of the handle and the cooking conditions, become moderately hot, thus making the handle uncomfortable to touch. While on a stove top, a vessel handle can be accidentally hit, causing a spill. In addition, a conventional vessel and attached handle occupies a substantial amount of storage space. For purposes of storage, the vessel without a handle attached will be able to fit in a smaller space both in the kitchen cabinet and in the refrigerator. A set of vessels of similar shape and sequential sizes which have separable handles may be nested inside one another when the handles are removed.
Other reasons for supplying a removable handle for a vessel are to be able to use a single handle interchangeably for a number of vessels and to change from a utilitarian-style handle for cooking operations to a decorative handle for serving the food at the table. Providing a separable handle also allows one to be able to wash the vessel body in a dishwasher without the handle, thus saving space and keeping the handle appearance from being affected by the dishwasher chemicals and heat.
Such a removable handle should mount securely to the vessel when in use and be easily attachable and removable by the cook.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a cooking vessel handle which is easily attached to and removed from a vessel.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a removeably attachable cooking vessel handle which is securely mounted to the cooking vessel when in use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a removeably attachable cooking vessel handle which is interchangeable for use on several types of cooking vessels.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.